Tag Archives: 10000fps

The Chronos 1.4c Team has been ramping up software releases with the latest v0.3 RC1 being dropped just a few hours ago. Be aware that this is not mission critical stable software so only use on your own testing and not for recording once in a lifetime events. The big fixes are in the color pipeline and how the camera handles pixel color especially red tones which were a little pinkish in previous software releases. It seems the entire color acquisition pipeline has received an overhaul. This should improve the color rendition on all objects plus the added benefit of less tweaking in post.

There are also several UI improvements like the ability to clear some warnings, move the button layout pane around the main interface screen and the ability to auto-save clips after shooting. HSC will be testing the new software and report back when we get some new images. We are preparing a color test to see before and after the software update and how much color has improved with the release.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

The Chronos 1.4 Team has now posted the first incarnation of the RAW Camera data to DNG File tool to convert the sensor information files to usable Adobe DNG sequences. They also have posted a sample image comparing the before and after characteristics of the image quality if saved on H.264 in camera and then the same scene shot and saved in RAW format which converted to DNG yields a substantial improvement in image quality as we explored in our previous post about this issue here.

The camera is expected to allow direct to DNG format file saving in the future but now you can shoot in the camera RAW format and later convert as an interim solution without sacrificing quality on the H.264 files. Maybe in the future, the camera will be able to simultaneously save RAW and H.264 files as a proxy feature to be able to easily sample clips in editing before conversion. We believe the DNG format should be your one-stop solution for this camera if image quality is important for your use case.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

We received a set of Adobe DNG image samples from Krontech to check the resolution, dynamic range and grading potential of the camera when using the RAW recording mode. As of now the utility to convert the raw data is still being tested but we were impressed by the results the camera was able to achieve by offloading the de-bayering process to a more capable converter like the Adobe Camera RAW module.

The Chronos files were already good when properly exposed but did suffer from some aliasing and moire in fine detail while resolution also took a hit by saving in a compressed H.264 format. Now with the DNG RAW capability, we are glad to see that the camera image quality made an enormous improvement in the resolution, color fidelity, and dynamic range. It really brings out the real potential of the camera for a variety of applications, also creating a cleaner result in the noise department when processed correctly.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

David Kronstein has published a walkthrough video of the Krontech warehouse, assembly installations, and offices located near Vancouver Canada, in what could be described as a rapid expansion of a startup that just a year ago was just coalescing. With now 337 Chronos 1.4c cameras shipped to Kickstarter backers and also direct purchase buyers; this is a significant number of units for any high-speed camera and we can probably expect that number to increase!

David also goes shares his thanks to the people who helped make the camera project possible and where the company can grow from here. We expect great things from Krontech not that they have shown the ability to mass produce gear that works and as it continues to improve with software releases. We are excited about their future and congratulate them on their success thus far.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

The Chronos 1.4 Camera is getting its first firmware update from 0.1 to 0.2 to add a few feature, correct a few bugs and some interface changes. The update is recommended for all owners and it is very easy to install. Be sure to have a FAT32 formatted USB stick in order to perform the update as it needs the root directory for file discovery.

We applied the update on our camera and were pleasantly surprised that the actual software update did not need the camera to be turned off after. It seems that the Chronos team is making updates on the internal SD memory and not on a firmware chip which also means you cannot brick the camera by updating. Very cool feature!→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

We would like to share a few modifications users of the Chronos 1.4 have made to the camera in the few short weeks they have had to put it through its paces. In our case, we got the Pro AM 5″ Sunshade for LCD screens and had great success curing what could have been a big nuisance for the camera. In bright daylight, the Chronos screen completely washes out like most phones out there and makes it impossible to judge focus, controls and reviewing clips.

There are also case mods and more strap accessories that have made the camera better. While the software is still in the early stages, the camera is fully functional and has been able to deliver outstanding image quality. There are a few image artifacts that firmware will address in the future, that are pushing back our full review of the camera. For those that have been asking, rest assured we are on it!→ Continue Reading Full Post ←